Acne.org Products
Oral Antibiotic
Efficacy
56%
Based on All Available Studies
Strength of Evidence
Note: Should never be used on its own and for a maximum of 3 months.
Oral Antibiotic
Acne.org’s Real World Take
Antibiotics should be used for a maximum of 3 months, provide only moderate benefit and only to some people, and may lead to side effects and strains of resistant bacteria. Studies do show doxycycline can reduce severe acne in the short term, and as far as oral antibiotics are concerned, it’s usually the go-to, but approach with caution and stay your own advocate.
Oral Antibiotic
How to Get It
Have a dermatologist? Make an appointment to get this medication. Don't have a dermatologist? See The American Academy of Dermatology Physician Database to find one.
Used Doxycycline? Rate It:
Choose from 1 to 5 stars
May 17, 2010
Cons:
-nothing, occasional sun burn easier than normal, but nothing extreme
Been on Doxy 50mg per day and differen at night for about 4-5 months or so. Started getting improvements within 2 weeks or so, not sure didn't notice a bad initial break out..just felt like a normal break out. Face was very clear after about 3 months..and since has stayed 90% clear periodically..meaning, i'll have a couple weeks of relatively clear skin, but then a week of bad, which is starting to get annoying but still the bad is still good compared to before the medication...bottom line its an awesome product, but seeing my derm this friday to see what I should do from here.
April 25, 2010
Pros:
easy to take, not expensive
Cons:
had to take twice a day, couldn't eat dairy products with it, or take anitacids.. that was a pain. had severe stomach pains
clears severe acne FAST.
March 20, 2010
Pros:
read bottom line
Cons:
nothing
Hey guys, Been on doxy and different about 4-5 months now and this stuff is working great About the 3.5 month mark 95% of my acne has cleared and it has stayed that way since, I get little break outs here and there but thats normal and its nothing like before. Before = massive clusters of gross double/triple headed painful red and noticeble pimples everywhere (mainly cheeks). Now (as I am writing this) = one/two little under the jawline and one or two on the face...no more acne, just pimples :D So yeah sometimes it gets a little worse but I just remember that I am looking at my face super close in the mirror with a light, so I just stand back and look from other peoples perspective and walah I hardly notice it..besides I have also come to terms that noone else notices it! I got really down and depressed with my acne but WHY, I am feeling great now I just hope this stuff keeps working Oh and, I drank whilst on doxy, which is apprently okay, the first time in 4 months (got drunk so easy haha) and my skin never got worse like in the past yipeee!! Good luck guys :D
December 16, 2009
Pros:
Takes a while, as with all antibiotics, to start working.
Cons:
Pills taste bad and are sometimes hard for me to swallow. Makes birth control pills ineffective.
My doc prescribed me this with an 8% benzoyl peroxide facewash after I started breaking out after accutane. Was sufficient while I was taking them but I have the hardest time remembering to take the pills everyday!
I started breaking out terribly once I started taking Yasmin (my body just doesn't do well with hormones). I stopped the birth control, started taking the doxy, using the wash and adding Epiduo to the mix and I'm starting to clear up very well.. especially in the chest area.
I think the key to antibiotics is consistency! Take them everyday and you will see results in a couple of months. I realize that it's hard to be patient with acne!
December 6, 2009
Pros:
-Prevents nodules, cysts, etc
-No allergic reactions
Cons:
-I have to break it into two pieces to swallow xD
-Tastes bad
I was prescribed this antibiotic when i had allergic reaction to solodyn. anyways, so far, so good, i haven't had any bad reactions to the medicine, and so far no nodules, which was the primary reason i got it. been over a month easily and works well. wish i could take it forever(i can deal w/ that) and not worry about getting nodules, but apparently its best to use for only short periods of time (6 months more or less)
April 7, 2017
So happy I chose Doxy
Once I got to college I realized that my skin started breaking out more --- way more. Throughout middle and high school I had never had bad acne. I would get one, maybe two pimples a week on average, but it was very manageable. However, when I got to college, I'm guessing a mixture of the dining hall food, water, and stress accumulated to the huge increase in acne I was getting. My Aunt is a doctor and suggested I go on doxycycline so I decided to give it a shot. During the first month I didn't see much of a difference and was doubting the drug, but after about 5 weeks of taking it, my skin became totally clear. I feel back to my normal self and no longer feel the need to cover up with any face makeup (unless going out or for a special occasion). Doxy really helped me for the better ad I definitely recommend to anyone struggling with acne!
July 12, 2017
Hey thanks for your review. Are you still on Doxy, and if not how is your skin now please? I am so worried as on it now - works lovely but worried how it will be when I stop :-(
December 19, 2017
My skin freaked in college too! Currently a week into doxy with not so great results... lol i hope this is a purge and doesnt last long
January 31, 2018
Any updates on this please? My 14year old daughter had been prescribed doxy and is about to start taking it.
June 24, 2015
Works best for mild-moderate acne
I was prescribed Doxy after Minocycline stopped working for me, 100mg/day. My doctor explained that Doxy was one of the stronger drugs of the cycline family (but if that failed, I'd be put on Accutane). I took it for 5 months, and during the time frame of 2.5-3.5 months, was when I had extremely clear skin. I took it mainly for very persistence superficial acne and cystic acne. There was no difference the first month, but definitely the third month was the best. I couldn't take it on an empty stomach since I would get nauseous and I would throw up, so I took it roughly 1.5-2 hours after a meal to avoid it. Other than that, I did not have any other severe side effects. Unfortunately, during the fourth month, my acne came back in full swing.
I wouldn't recommend taking antibiotics, because your body will become immune to it, especially for the level of acne I had, which was moderate-severe. Doxy might work best for mild acne, or even moderate acne.
July 27, 2011
Pros:
-Clears up Acne on Face & Body (especially cystic acne)
-Reduces Redness
-Easy to swallow
Cons:
-HORRIBLE & I mean horrible Nausea & Vomiting if taken on an empty stomach
-Makes skin ultra sensitive to the sun
I suffer from acne on my face and back. I've been taking it for about a month & I can really see a difference. I don't break out as bad as I used to. It really does work, you just have to be patient with it. The only thing I truly hate about it is the nausea you feel when you take it on an empty stomach. I threw up a couple of times because of it /:
May 21, 2011
Pros:
-effective for moderate acne
-reduce inflammation
Cons:
-may cause serious nausea and vomiting if dont take with food
-photosensitivity, face is more prone to sunburn, tend to make skin darker over long term
-prolonged use may cause oral candidiasis
-it is temporary fix but at least it is effective while you're on it.
-usual dose is 100 mg once a day for at least 3 months up to 2 years
-topical bp or clindamycin may increase efficacy and reduce chance of resistance.
-safe and no serious adverse effect if taken in right dose.
January 20, 2011
Pros:
Fairly cheap.
Cons:
Not good for long term!
Have to take it often to make it effective.
I have been on this for almost 2 years off and on as needed. It has been great for when I was on the medicine. However, it did not produce long lasting results. In fact, I believe towards the end I become immune to it. I should have listened to other reviews. Not worth it in the end.
Pros:
-clears skin really well periodically
-didn't take to long to get to work
-read bottom line